Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-04-08
WEEKLY GRAPHIC
KIRKsvILLE. MO.
7. Z. Sublctte. Proprietor
POLITICAL SCHEMING.
Proprietor

and more apparent that schemlng
is the lever by which unworthy
men are raised to places of honor
and profit in the political arena.
The scheming is worked by COM
binstion in the party that happens
to be in power, and sometimes by
combination of both parties. So
important part has this schem-
ing come to play in a political
campaign, that the great princi-
Piles, which are supposed to make
parties, are being lost sight of, and
the schemes of political combina-
binations engage the attention of
the aspirant for political favors.
These combinations exist in our
counties, our states and our ma
ton, and in understanding how
the political affairs of the county
are managed, We have an idea of
the work that makes and unmakes
governors, congressman and even
presidents. Yet as powerful as
these combinations have become,
they could WELD but little infiu-
ence did they not manipulate
affairs SO as to deceive an unsus-
pecting public, men who are too
much engaged with the business
affairs of life to study the work
ings of political combinations. The
head of the combination is usual
ly man of elastic conscience who
cares nothing for party and but
little for his fellow man, yet by
loud pretensions of loyalty,
manages to have himself looked
upon as leader of political affairs.
AS soon as he is able to fix his
claims for leadership, like the
confidence man, he begins laying
his plans to obtain a hold upon
the voters, for their support he
must have to accomplish any
thing. With the eye of an expert
he selects the victims, who are to
do him service and go at his bid
ding. First, there are the infiu-
ential farmers in various parts of
the county. He informs these
that they have the smartest chill
dren, that their wives are the best
cooks, that they keep the finest
stock and, in short, that they would
make excellent candidates for any
Office within the gift of the peo
pie. Of course these farmers care
nothing for Office but he gains
their friendship, as no man is los
to the influence of the nnctlou,
words of the willy politician. The1'
is another class of men who are ,
perpetual delight to the leader O
a combination. 1t is class o
men who were in their dotag,
when born; they are aspirants fo
office from the time they know
what an Office is; they discus
every question that comes uI
through the public prints, to tn
utter disgust of intelligent readers
These individuals are Egyptial
fiesh-pots for the political,
and are always employed t
do the dirty work, off of whicI
they fatten. When the combina
ton has received an eS
posure they rush int
defend them by crying insult
honest voters" and other simila
expressions. Sometimes, thoug
not often, the leader of the comb
nation is a newspaper man. Br
when this is the case they usual
grow SO bold and their violation
of political decency SO public, ths
they are soon cornered and expos
ed. The combination then meet
and it is wisely decided that til
newspaper responsibilities shoul
be shifted from the leader to som
other parsonage. The best ma
to I'LL a vacancy of this kind, is on
who never has a decided opinio
of his own, but who thinks tina
circumstances compel him to stul
tlfy his manhood by uttering, lik
the parrot, the words that are pu
into his mouth by his master. Thi
new man goes upon guard with
feeling of the greatest security
thinking that he has nothing t.
do but obey orders, and that ther
is no danger lurking about him
Sometimes. however there is n,